Prison Is Not a Neutral Punishment: Why Nonviolent Sentencing Requires a Burden of Proof
The criminal legal system treats incarceration as an acceptable default, even when the offense did not involve physical harm to…
Rita Williams
Rita Williams is a Michigan-based judicial oversight analyst and founder of Clutch Justice, an investigative platform focused on court system accountability, sentencing integrity, and SCAO policy. Her work examines how courts, policies, and administrative systems operate in practice, with a focus on where process breaks down and harm is created. Drawing on lived experience and systems-level analysis, she writes to make legal structures more readable, expose institutional gaps, and advocate for reforms grounded in both evidence and human impact. Rita’s writing bridges legal analysis, institutional critique, and public education, with a consistent focus on accountability without losing sight of the people most affected by the justice system.
Attorney Angelina Cummins Interim Suspended After Failing to Appear for Disciplinary Hearing
The Michigan Attorney Discipline Board has imposed an interim suspension on Angelina Cummins (P78867) of Southfield, Michigan, effective August 7, 2025, after she failed to appear for…
Financial Hardship, Not Personal Failure, Drove Mental Health, Hunger, and Eviction During COVID
Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, political rhetoric framed economic relief as generous, temporary, and sufficient. The story told was simple: people…
The Criminal Justice Serenity Prayer (Or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Accept the Dumpster Fire)
God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can,…
Attorney Tyler N. Ross Suspended for Three Years Following Federal Felony Conviction
The Michigan Attorney Discipline Board has ordered a three-year suspension of Tyler N. Ross (P75530) of Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, following a consent discipline agreement arising from…
The Legal System Breaks Everyone—Including Those Who Run It
Without question, the American justice system punishes families long before it decides guilt. Most judges and prosecutors know and understand…
When the Phone Never Rings Long Enough: How Communication Failures Punish Families Without Cause
Update, 1/3/2026 Phone fixes are in progress at St. Louis, but Newberry Correctional is also experiencing similar phone issues, leading…
Michigan’s Aging Prison Population Shows We Ignore the Data on Crime and Age
Michigan officials are now sounding the alarm about an aging prison population. The framing suggests surprise, as if this outcome…
Attorney Brandon T. Wolfe Reprimanded With Conditions After IOLTA Trust Account Violations
The Michigan Attorney Discipline Board has issued a reprimand with conditions against Brandon T. Wolfe (P82421) of Troy, Michigan, following findings that he mishandled funds held…
Attorney James M. Poniewierski Suspended for 30 Days Following OWI Conviction
The Michigan Attorney Discipline Board has suspended James M. Poniewierski (P73652) of Southfield, Michigan, for 30 days, effective August 1, 2025, following a consent discipline agreement…
You must be logged in to post a comment.